


The First Sin

by Vehyn



Series: The First Sin [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Adventure, Couple, F/M, Fanfiction, OC, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2018-10-15 05:55:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vehyn/pseuds/Vehyn
Summary: “It's what you want my dear Dragon." She paused as she sat down, only letting his hand go once he stood in front of her, "I can give it to you. Everything you ever wished for." She rested her hand on his bare stomach, his mind barely registering that his shirt was gone as she licked her lips, "And so, so much more." – Sent during the Guilds disbandment. LaLu and other couples.





	1. Chapter 1: Drowning

**Author's Note:**

> I love this ship (LaLu as well as NaLu) so I wanted to try my hand at it. I do not own Fairy Tail! Please let me know what you think!

There were only so many times someone could drink themselves into a stupor before their luck ran out. And he could feel it, somewhere underneath all the feelings of self-loathing and defeat, that this was where his luck dried up. Just like the alcohol that had vanished from the bottle in his hand.

Rain beat down on him, the storm above calling to his magic. But he was too tired to answer it. Too tired to care about how cold he was or how much his side ached or how his stomach rebelled to the sheer volume of drink he had taken in throughout the night.

He didn't even care that the mission was a failure.

Footsteps sounded through the alleyway, but he didn't bother to lift his head, allowing himself to press further into the chilled ground to try give whoever was walking room to walk by his large form.

A faint gasp reached his ears, and despite his dragon enhanced sight, the figure remained blurry. Only the distant light glinting off golden hair registered in his hazy brain.

"Laxus?" He felt like he was swimming. He swallowed loudly before correcting his thought. He wasn't swimming. He was drowning.

He didn't even register the fact that the rain no longer touched his skin before he passed out.

Elsewhere…

"See you later Lucy. Thanks for staying back."

"No worries." Lucy waved as she closed the door, frowning at the rain that hammered down on the capital. Now she knew why Virgo had demanded she bring her umbrella with her in the morning, "Well what a great way to start the weekend. Stay back late at work, start the weekend with rain."

She squeaked as a large thunderclap echoed overhead, but it didn't sound right. Too close. Too familiar, "I'm just thinking into it... I must be."

She turned and started in the direction of her home, but something pulled at her, told her to turn around. Her feet led her through the streets, ignoring the way the rain soaked her from the waist down.

The storm above was harsh and she tightened her jacket, trying her best to fight off the chill that seeped in. She hummed to herself as she walked, ignoring the way the streets emptied the further from home she went. It was only the sudden static in the air that made her pause and she turned, facing a dark alley. Despite the fear that gnawed at her, she took cautious steps, not trusting her assumptions completely.

The smell of damp rot assaulted her and she covered her nose, squinting into the shadows. And what she saw took her breath away.

Pressed against the slimy wall of the alley, his purple button down and dress pants soaked through with rain, was the grandson of Fairy Tails’ Master.

Before her was a man she never thought she would see in the state he was in...

"Laxus?"


	2. Chapter 2: Stronger

Laxus came to with a headache. One that messed with his senses completely. His body felt warm, cocooned in a heat that he knew he shouldn't feel. He knew he should have been soaked, smelling of mold and sick with having been in an alley during the storm the night before. But for some reason, the aches and pains that should have accompanied a rough night didn't occur. Which meant someone had taken him in.

He opened his eyes, glad that it wasn't as bright in the room as he guessed it would be. The curtain to his side was tightly closed, the heavy pink drapes blocking out the morning light. When he looked to his other side, he confirmed that yes, he was in someone’s room and two, it was sparsely furnished. 

But what drew his attention the most was the warmth that seemed to enclose his hand. He rose onto his free elbow, not wanting to disturb the heat before he found the source, and felt the blood rush in his ears when he took in the sight before him.

Lucy, Fairy Tails’ light, was leaning against the bed, one arm curled under her head while her other arm was stretched out towards him, her slim fingers wrapped delicately around his own. He swallowed heavily, taking in the way her features had matured since the guild disbanded. Her hair was far longer than he recalled it being, and her face had lost what little fat had clung to her from her teens and she had grown into a lean young woman. 

He then remembered demanding her in exchange for saving the guild from Phantom and he wanted to punch himself in the ace. 

He gingerly pulled his hand from hers, taking great care in sitting up to look around. The whole room was dark, but his enhanced sight and with the little light that seeped through the edge of the curtain let him examine the room. 

Her apartment was small, with a small bathroom off to the side and her bed on the other. He could see her kitchen from where he sat and a small sitting area with a couch and a writing desk across from him. In all, the studio was small, incredibly so for him considering his size. He wondered how she had even managed to find him, staring at the small blonde in wonder. 

He tried to think back to the night before, muttering under his breath as he looked down. He jolted when he noticed the stained white bandages around his torso, the wound he knew he should have tended to sooner already taken care of for him. 

"I didn't want your infection to get any worse." He looked up, staring at the blonde as she sat back, rubbing her eyes. Deep black circles made her look sickly and her brown eyes overly large from fatigue., but it was her strained smile that caught his attention the most. 

"Lucy... you-" He paused, not sure of what to say.

"So… you do know how to use my name." Lucy laughed softly, stretching as she stood, "And it's no problem. It's the least I could do. Besides, I couldn't just leave you out in the rain."

She shuffled about, her back to him as she worked in the kitchen. The sound of running water echoed in his ears before she turned back to him, a glass of water in hand and her other hand closed. He could smell the medicine before she passed it to him, nodding his head in thanks as he accepted the glass.

He watched her as she moved through her home, gathering some clothes before disappearing into the bathroom, only to come out a few moments later in jeans and a singlet. She brushed her hair as she moved about, pulling her chair from her desk so that she could sit by the bed. 

"Why?" Lucy blinked at him, lowering her brush as she processed his question.

"Why what?" She took back the now empty glass of water and placed it on her bedside table, next to her keys. She felt them warm as she brushed her hand along them.

"Why... this? Why help me? Why not leave me there? And how did you even get me here? Just... why bother? I haven't been... the nicest to you by any means." He looked away, biting the inside of his cheek as he waited. Part of him wished that she would recall how horrible he had been, not just to her, but the the rest of their nakama. 

Lucy froze. She wasn't sure why she had cared for him so much. But in her heart, she knew why, and throwing caution to the wind, she told him the truth, "Because, at some point, yes, you hurt me, and the guild, but you were still my nakama. You were still part of our family, and you pulled through when it mattered most. I mean, if I could forgive Gajeel, I could most certainly forgive you."

She sent him a dazzling smile, but he was taken aback by the haunted look in her eyes, "But... how did you even get me here? You don't look all that strong to me Blondie." His words were met with a dark look and he swallowed, wincing internally as his forever arrogant personality turned its ugly head, "Look, I didn't mean that. I just..."

Lucy sighed, turning away from him, "I haven't been idle, you know. Just like I wasn't when I was at the guild, despite what people believed. My training paid off and I acquired something called Stardress. It lets me harness the powers of my spirits. I used Taurus’ power to get you here. And then I had my spirit Gemini transform into Wendy and tried healing you. It wasn't a powerful copy, but we managed to get rid of the infection and bandage you up." She stood, refusing to look at him, "My spirit Virgo brought you some spare clothes. They're in the bathroom with some essentials for you as well. Feel free to take a shower." 

Laxus could only nod numbly as he pulled the sheets away from his body, shivering from the cold as he made his way into the room Lucy had gone into earlier. 

The bathroom was small, with only a bath, sink and toilet. In one corner was a small hamper and neatly folded on top of it was a pile with his name written neatly on a piece of paper on top. He wondered for a moment how he could have been so foolish to someone so kind. Everyone in the guild had loved her, and even the Thunder Legion had grown attached to her while he was in exile. But he had barely even done the decency to greet her as she always greeted him.

A growl built in his throat as he turned away, turning the water on before stripping, ripping the bandages from his torso and he inspected the wound. It had indeed healed far more than he expected, the once ragged edges of the cut now smooth and much closer to being fully healed than it had been the night before. 

Thinking of the previous evening he stepped into the water, letting it wash away the grime and dirt and defeat that seemed to cling to him like a leech. 

The water soothed him and if he listened, he could hear Lucy gently humming in the next room. The woman was an enigma, one that puzzled him to the point of him actually wanting to figure her out. She forgave without a doubt, she helped despite the repercussions and she took blame for incidents that she had no part in - he knew because of all the reports he had helped his Grandfather sort through. And yet here she was, not only carrying him home in the rain, he tried not to think his pride or reputation were damaged, tended to him and gave him her bed, likely having cared for him through the majority of the night. But even he could see something was cloudy her mind, drawing her into herself. She hadn't lashed out at all, despite having every reason to. And there was a sadness that tainted her smell. A smell he distinctly remembered to have been of strawberries with an undercurrent of ink. 

He sat in the water, pondering the woman in the other room when the smell of bacon filled the air. His stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten for a number of hours.

He grabbed that towel that had been piled on top of his new clothes and he dried off quickly, shoving his legs through the dress pants and his arms through the button up shirt. The simple black and white outfit was a perfect fit and he assumed it had something to do with the fact Lucy had asked her spirit for them. With a quick glance in the mirror, deciding to leave the shirt unbuttoned in case he needed to rebandage his wound. 

He opened the door quietly, trying to be respectful to his unlikely saviour. She sat at a small dining table, staring off at the wall that had been opposite him when he awoke. Then, it had been too dark to make out the details, but now that she had opened the blinds, the items pinned up took his breath away. He walked up to the wall, ignoring the blonde woman who watched him, her muscles tense as his fingers ran along the ribbon and string and all the pictures scattered across the entire surface of her living space. His eyes took in the members of Fairy Tail. Bisca and Alzack together in an article from Sorcerers Weekly. Wendy and Carla in a picture after joining Lamia Scale. Mira and Lisanna in a bar. And what made his heart stop was a picture of himself and the Thunder Legion in Blue Pegasus. They all seemed so happy in the image.

"I tried to keep track of everyone you know," He turned to face Lucy but her head was down, playing with her breakfast rather than eating it, "In case Master came back and reformed the guild."

Laxus blinked, taking a second look at the pictures before he took a seat.

"Everyone seems to have moved on so easily. Within a week everyone left Magnolia. I didn't know what to do. And I didn't do anything for a long time afterwards too. But then, I needed money and work made that happen. So, I thought, if I can't wait at home, then I would find everyone for the time that we could all go home together." She sighed, dropping her fork in favour of sitting on her hands, trying to hide how they shook, "Dumb, I know-"

"It's not dumb." Laxus didn't speak before he cut her off, staring into her eyes as he continued, "It's not dumb so don't say shit like that. It means you care. You care enough about your nakama to let them be happy for the time being. If that's dumb then everyone that left is to blame or something." He fought down the heat the built in his chest, taking his fork and shovelling food into his mouth, effectively cutting off any other words that tried to escape his mouth.

"That's very nice of you to say Laxus." Lucy smiled, taking hold of her fork once more.

"Yeah well, I gave you a lot of crap in the past, and after last night, the least I can do is try to make it up to you." He huffed, glaring at his plate when he realised his food was already half gone. Noticing his dilemma, Lucy giggle, drawing his attention to her, his cheeks puffed out as he chewed.

"Don't worry. I know what Dragon Slayers are like. I have extra if you want it." He could only look at her and nod, handing his plate to her as a silent request, "I figured. When... when Team Natsu were together, they always crashed at mine and ate me out of house and home. Didn't help that they were the reason I was almost always late on my rent." A dry laugh left her as she handed the plate back to him, a tower of bacon and eggs waiting for him to devour.

"I always heard the rest of the guild saying you were always short. Looking back, the damage reports from your team were ridiculous." He chuckled as she flushed.

"Yeah. It could be a pain. I was always short on money for things." Lucy cleared her throat, collecting her plate and placing it in the sink, "So, uh. Why were you out last night? I mean, you weren't in the best state and-" She stopped short, her muscles tensing as she heard his growl and the clang of metal on porcelain, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. You don't-"

"I failed." His voice was grave as he stood, turning to face her with so much self-loathing in his eyes that Lucy blanched.

"How..." Lucy paused, swallowing heavily before correcting herself, "What do you mean you failed?" She waited for him to answer, her natural curiosity getting the better of her, despite knowing her actions were akin to poking a lion in a cage.

Laxus growled, glaring hard at the space above her head, "We went on a mission. It should have been easy. But I was careless. And my underestimation of the mission got my team hurt. Got me hurt. Not long after we reported the failure, Master Bob let them on a mission, but forced me to stay behind. He couldn't risk me being a hindrance and put them at risk in my state." He spat the words like poison, his hate from that fateful night bubbling back to the surface. 

Every muscle in his body tightened when he felt her, the woman so small she barely reached his collar bone. Her slim arms wrapped around his torso, her head resting over his heart as she sighed.

"I know the feeling. Of being the reason the people you care about get hurt. I've felt it on multiple occasions. And sometimes it gets you when you're most vulnerable. When you're guilty." He let the words wash over him, his body relaxing under her touch, "The feeling shoves you in a corner of your own mind, and despite everything, it can make you hurt people again. Master Bob was just looking out for you. And for your team." She sighed and pulled away, "And I know you don't see it right now, and it won't be an easy pill to swallow. So... do you want to tell me what happened?"

Laxus could feel his blood roar in his ears, his vision hazy as he sat down heavily, his anger from the night before fading to the defeat that had eaten at him since they had returned from the mission. He exhaled, his shoulders hunched as she watched him deflated, "Where do I Even begin?"

Lucy hummed, leaning against her kitchen counter, "Would it be easier for you to tell me the short version or the long version?"

He shrugged, eyes down as he thought, "I guess I'll just tell you how it is." Laxus nodded to himself, not even sure why he was speaking to her about it in the first place, "We selected a mission. It was meant to be simple. I'd been driving the team pretty hard and wanted them to take something easy for once. We were just meant to take down a dark guild. But as it turns out, the guild has multiple strong leaders, they go by the name Infernos. They took a while to track down and when we finally got one..." He shivered, glaring at his hands, "The bitch used manipulation magic. But she only controls men. Had me on my knees before I could knock her out. She made me attack my team and then had them fight me."

His voice was strained and Lucy knelt down in front of him. The veins in his neck bulged and the blonde woman frowned, "So you're wound is from them?"

He nodded, closing his eyes, "She said they were planning something big. Her and her guild. And then she mentioned E.N.D or something and then Zeref. If anything, I'd say they were another crazy cult. But their strong. And they've been terrorizing various towns. I failed my team. I failed those people. Just like I failed during Tartorus..."

Lucy couldn't help but smile, though it was strained and pulled at her cheeks painfully, "You can only grow stronger. If you're weak, you get stronger. If you get knocked down, you go down kicking and get right back up. We never give up. You of all people should know that Laxus."

He blinked at her, shocked to hear the words that she had spoken. He could barely register the hand that she had raised. Her left hand with her pink guild mark, "No matter what happened and what will happen… We are members of Fairy Tail and we stand by each other no matter what. So, let me help you Laxus."

He processed her words slowly and Lucy placed her hand over his guild mark on his chest. The shiver that shot down his spine jolted him back to reality and he smirked, "You don't even know what I'll need for you to help."

She answered his smirk with a smile, eyes glinting, "No one messes with a Fairy. I think we show them what happens when they bang on our door."


	3. A Fairies Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arc: Lust

"Ok Blondie. This is what I know-" He shoved a book across the table at her, their booth shielding them from view. The rest of the guild had been shocked when she had arrived, dragon slayer in toe, but Master Bob had welcomed them with open arms; After yelling at Laxus for worrying him with the way he had left and for having stayed away for so long. 

"The bitch we found, her name is Luxuria. She uses manipulation magic according to Freed. Only affects male, which we found out the hard way. She's the youngest of the guilds elite. We caught her outside of Crocus... But she knew we were coming. She had the lesser guild members waiting in the trees. But she'd somehow already taken control of me and virtually shut off my sense of smell. Eventually all my senses were dulled down just before the attack. Ever... if Freed hadn't broken out of her control... Ever would have been..." His throat tightened and Lucy paled, understanding instantly what he was implying. The self-dubbed Fairy Queen was like a sister to him, and to watch her go through something like that... Lucy shivered at the thought.

"The main thing is, is that it didn't happen. Freed stopped it. Now our focus is to find her again. How did you find her last time?"

"Her smell. She would lead the attacks on villages, and the women that had their men taken... if they lived they wished they didn't. Most of them were sick. Begging for something no one knew about. We searched and questioned people for two days after we accepted the mission and it was enough to last me a life time. But at every scene there was this sweet smell, it was smooth and rich, I guess if Wendy had been there she would have said it was thick. Heavy almost like when it gets really humid in Magnolia. Ever said it made her dizzy if she stayed too long around it."

Lucy's brows pulled together, glaring unseeingly at the words on the map, a crude design drawn at the bottom, "So someone with a normal sense of smell knew it was there. And it was sweet. Was it only this town that was attacked at the time?" Lucy pointed to a cluster of crosses just outside Crocus.

"No, there were reports, a lot more, around the coast. Mostly around Hargeon. But after the attack and Master Bob banning me from missions with my team, I went back to Crocus and looked around. I hit a dead end almost immediately... I lost it and started drinking… Then you found me in the alley." He sighed. It had been a week since she had found him, and forced him to stay until her spirit, a copy of Wendy anyway, could heal him completely, "I may have failed the mission, but the council still thinks I'm assigned to it, which means I can keep working on it."

"Which means you can get the Rune Knights to help when you need them." Lucy nodded tapped her chin, lost in thought, "So, a sweet smell always hung around the scene, a smell that normal people can smell. It made Ever dizzy. And most attacks have been happening around Hargeon... What's there that would make it so important?"

Laxus glanced at the page before looking back at her, "I'd say we take a trip to Hargeon and find out." He smirked, excitement bubbling in his gut. He felt a little guilty for excluding his team, but he technically wasn't meant to do the mission in the first place. And if he got in trouble, then that was on him. 

"To Hargeon." She shared a smile with him before getting up, stretching out and grabbing the book from the desk. 

"Meet me at the bus station in an hour, got it?" Laxus said, stalking past her to open the door, but holding it open for her instead of passing through it like she expected.

"Men~! So polite. So-" Ichiya groaned as the door slammed in his face, neither blondes on the other side wanting to deal with him. 

xXx The First Sin xXx

"Blondie." Laxus chuckled as Lucy jumped in her seat, her book landing on the bench with a loud thump. She glared at him, a hand on her heart. He could hear her blood pumping, the adrenaline forcing her to alertness, "No need to be so jumpy."

He bent down, revealing the duffel he had slung over his back, and grabbed her book, brushing off the cover with his shirt, before holding it out for her to take.

"Yeah, well sometimes being alone backs you jumpy." She bit out, taking her book back quickly before looking away, a faint blush marring her cheeks, "Sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that-"

"Blondie." He smirked when she whirled on him, "Relax. I know what you meant. It's not the same without them around. I get that." The sincerity in his voice ate away at her agitation and she sighed, standing from her seat so she could face him. 

"Are you ready?" She asked, looking at him expectantly.

"Yeah, yeah. But we aren't taking the damn bus." He grumbled, grabbing her hand and pulled her across the road and towards the tree line surrounded the town. 

"Hey. Hey! What are you doing?" Lucy dug her feet into the ground, straining against his hold. 

"We're going to Onibus and taking the damned train from there. So deal with it." He cursed when she struggled and he spun on his heel, using the arm the held her to pull her closer before holding her to his chest, "You better hold on."

Lightning danced around them and the tell-tale boom of his lightning had Lucy’s hair standing on end. The sparks that danced over her skin tickled and a strange warmth filled her before the forest disappeared. Everything was yellow and gold and moved in a blend of shades. It made her stomach churn but the thrill of the lightning and being so close to a dangerous element had her blood pumping. 

And before she knew it, they landed and her legs buckled, but Laxus' arm held her up. She was panting, a thin sheen was sweat coating her skin as she looked around, her brain struggling to piece the scenery together with the words in her head.

"Oi, Blondie. You ok?" Laxus shook her gently, dropping his bag in favour of lowering her to the ground.

"Y-yeah. Just... yeah." Her incoherent thoughts made themselves apparent and Laxus chuckled. A sharp sting entered her thigh where his hand was resting and she yelped, her thoughts snapping into place instantly, "What was that for?"

Her shriek had him groaning, "Well it worked, didn't it?" He didn't wait for her as he stood and grabbed his bag from where he had dropped it in favour of grabbing her. The train station was before them and they had a job to get done.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Lucy bolted after him, hitting him with her book but only just grazing the top of his shoulder. She grumbled under her breath as he purchased their tickets and they boarded the train. He quickly found seats and sat down, his sound pods on and his arms crossed as he glared out the window. 

The train whistle blew and he paled, visibly tensing to Lucys' amusement. She grabbed a small bottle from her pant pocket and held it out to him, waiting until her looked at her to speak.

"These are tablets that will help with your motion sickness." She frowned when he glared at her and shoved the small container into her hand, pressing the glass into his elbow so it wouldn't fall, "Don't glare at me like a child. You're a Dragon Slayer. Doesn't matter whether you’re a first generation or not. It affects you guys all the same." Lucy grabbed the bottle that was sticking out of his bag and passed it to him, only to sigh and place it on the seat between them.

She turned to her book, ignoring the muffled gag that came from her partner. 

The sound of the glass bottle opening and the pills shake was quickly followed by sloshing water and Lucy did a small cheer in her head at her little victory. 

The rest of the ride was done in silence and Lucy could only think about how they had gotten into the situation they were in.

Week prior

"I said you could help me. I never said you were coming with me." Laxus followed the blonde through her small apartment, groaned when she shoved a hand full of clothes into his chest.

"Too bad. You need my help out there on the mission. Just not working through communication lacrima. So now you have to deal with me." She huffed as she tore open a bag and started dumping her belongings into it. The clothes he had held vanished within seconds and he watched in fascination as she worked, systematically pulling things from their places and popping them into her bag.

"How do you think you can help me on the field when my own team couldn't?" He growled, his anger getting the better of him. He didn't register the way she froze or the suddenly tense atmosphere in the room. The only thing he could think about was his failure on the mission and the injuries his team had come home with.

"You don't change. And you're just like all the others." Her whisper was sharp, the venom in her voice shocking him, "I'm not some innocent damsel. I can carry my own weight and I can damn well help you find the bitch that hurt you and your team in the first place!"

Her fist collided with his cheek before he could react and he hit the floor. He laid prone as she stood over him, her chest heaving.

"You were banned from taking missions with a guild mate. But the mission was a council summons, right? Which means that you can't go on a mission with them in any case. But no one ever said you couldn't get another mage to assist you. Which means I'm your best bet. And considering the trouble you've already had, I'm also your best choice." Lucy took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she continued, "Besides. If we're going to find this woman, you're also going to need another female considering Evergreen was the only one in your team not affected by her magic. So… let’s get your notes from your guild and get moving."

She left no room for argument. And so, considering he still wasn't completely healed, she had banned him from using his teleportation. 

Present

So, it had taken a little under a week to reach Blue Pegasus and they really began their adventure. 

"What are you thinkn' about Blondie?" Laxus's voice broke through her train of though and Lucy blinked up at him, barely registering that he was leaning over her.

"Hmm?" She hummed, not too sure what he meant.

"You've been staring at the page for nearly half an hour. Somethings going on in that brain of yours." His observation stunned her for a moment before she sighed and closed her book.

"I have a lot of things on my mind. The woman that beat you and your team," He growled and she rolled her eyes before continuing, "The fact that we have no idea who or what is behind the attacks or why they're doing what they're doing. You can only assume they act on behalf of Zeref; But you have no proof. There's also the fact that the last time I fought I..." Lucy cleared her throat, turning away from the slayer to stare at the keys on her belt, "The last time I fought was against Tartorus."

"The last time you fought you not only saved everyone, but you went against two of those demons on your own and gave us all a fighting chance. That's not something to look down upon. You're stronger than before. No matter how much of an arse I am, even I can see that."

Lucy shrugged, one thought flying through her head, 'I couldn't save everyone.' 

"Hey…" Laxus nudged her with his elbow and drew her attention, only took look out the window as he spoke, "If there is anyone that could help me right now, it's you. You're smart, and you know your way around things. Plus, you've got a unique magic that can help you when you need it. Those are all things that count." His cheeks flushed a pale pink and Lucy held her breath, "Well, shit. I'm not good at this stuff. But you're alright Lucy. I'm sorry for all the crap I've given you since you joined the guild. And... ah. Thanks. For that medicine. It really helped."

Lucy giggled, making the blonde hulk of a man to glare at her, "I forgave you a long time ago Laxus." She rested her hand on his arm and leant in close, "We're nakama after all."

"Yeah." He nodded, eyes wide as he stared at her, "Nakama to the end."

xXx The First Sin xXx

Hargeon was busy. From the harbour, all the way to the surrounding woods. People were getting ready to sell their harvest. Winter was approaching and all the outlying villages wanted their share of the profits. The smell of fish was thick and it made Laxus cringe while Lucy covered her mouth in a bid to avoid the tinge of salt on her tongue.

They tried to make their way through the markets as quickly as possible while also trying to find the sweet smell that had remained at the attack site against the Thunder Legion and other crime scenes. 

"This is useless!" Laxus punched the wall of the alley they had stepped into, "We've been here for a week and still nothing."

Lucy rolled her eyes, "Relax Laxus. The notes pointed us in this direction. It's the only lead we have-"

"It's not a lead if it's a dead end!" His voice drowned her out and Lucy flinched away, cautious of the sparks that danced across his skin. His eyes were sunken, testament to his efforts in trying to track down the ever elusive Luxuria. 

Silence fell between them, only the rumble of buyers and sellers disturbing them.

"I... I know this is frustrating. But I'm sure it's Hargeon where she has to be. Because..." Lucy paused before she straightened, rushing out of the alley way without looking to see if Laxus had followed her.

"Lucy!" The blonde man charged after her, being mindful of the people swarming through the streets. The only think that helped him follow her was the fact that she had on a pink singlet and white jacket which made her stand out.

They ran through town, people giving them a wide birth as they stormed through the markets Despite his size and strength, Lucy was simply faster than him and he barely kept up with her. She had a destination in mind and she was set on getting there.

It was only a few minutes later when they arrived at the actual docks of the harbour, panting and tired. But it was the fierce look on Lucy's face that stopped the complaint from slipping off his tongue.

"Here. The smell has to be coming from somewhere around here." She huffed, straightening her clothes and hair as she looked around, eyes sharp.

"What's here? Don't tell me you want to fish will tell us where she is. They can’t talk." Laxus gladly accepted the elbow to his stomach as the blonde woman rounded on him, her eyes shining with an emotion he couldn’t place.

"You said you couldn't smell anything sweet. Not anything aside from the normal sweet things anyway." She lifted a finger to point to the town centre, "And the smell of fish in Hargeon Market is too strong even for your nose."

"Well, yeah. The only sweet thing I could smell in there was you." He noted the way a blush decorated her cheeks before clearing his throat, "And the sweet smell I remember was different. Thicker than most air. I'm sure if Wendy had smelt it she would have notice."

"Wendy would have been in a near instant state of delirium with her nose and inhaling the stuff." Lucy nodded, lifting a second finger, "The smell was thick. And incredibly sweet. Sweeter than even strawberries and other fruits that you smelled. Which leaves us with one answer. And the main reason we're here in Hargeon."

Laxus stared at the woman, unsure of whether the pressure had made her a little crazy, "And what, exactly, would we be here for."

"Opium." The word was so simple and slid off her tongue so easily that he baulked at her.

"Opium?" He didn't have the slightest idea what she was on about but he felt that if she was this confident, she had to be right.

"Here, Opium is an illegal substance. That's why we're here. Because Hargeon is rumoured to have a smuggling ring importing illicit items. Opium being one of them," She took a breath, her excitement making her light headed, "Opium is an extract of a flower, which people nicknamed that 'Happy Drug'. No one really knows what it does except for the fact that people with chronic pain and depression benefit greatly from it. That, and it carries a very sweet smell when burned. My guess is that Luxuria either works at or owns an Opium den here at Hargeon. And considering the fact that she potentially owns it, she would reek of the stuff no matter where she went."

Laxus digested her words slowly, taking into account any faults and variants in what she was saying. It was only when he grinned and grabbed Lucy by the shoulders that he spoke, "You're a genius Lucy! I've never even heard of the stuff before."

Lucy blushed, "Well, it used to only be the rich that could afford to smuggle it in. So… I could be wrong..."

"Don't say that. Now, where would an Opium Den be around here?" He looked around, noticing only the rotting wood and dank concrete of the buildings along it.

"It'll be hidden. And likely underground. But fresh air would need to be ventilated into it to make sure people didn't overdose quickly." Lucy hummed as they started down one of the docks, peering into the buildings through grimy windows, "You should be able to catch a whiff of it eventually."

And so, they walked between all the buildings and through the dank alleys till the sun started setting. They were about to give up when Laxus stopped, noticing Lucy sway the further they walked towards the abandoned section of the docks where only the skeletal remains of boats bobbed in the water.

"Blondie? Oi!" She staggered, teetered, and would have hit the ground if Laxus hadn't grabbed her, "Lucy!"


	4. A Heated Embrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It's what you want my dear Dragon." She paused as she sat down, only letting his hand go once he stood in front of her, "I can give it to you. Everything you ever wished for." She rested her hand on his bare stomach, his mind barely registering that his shirt was gone as she licked her lips, "And so, so much more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, like my other stories that were just updated, I'm sorry. I feel horrible that I took so long to get this up. I forget. It's stupid. But I hope you like the end to the Lust Arc!

His grin horrified the patrons as he stalked through their midst.  
   
Thick white smoke filled the room, the smell of mold and rot burning his nose almost as much as the sweetness in the air. Lightning crackled all around him, striking anyone who strayed too close to him or took too long to move out of his way.  
   
"Where is she?" His growl had men running, those that were too high on the opium either tried to tackle him or opted to play dead, hoping they could avoid the wrath of the slayer stalking through the den, "Where’s Luxuria?"  
   
"Why ya lookin'?" A man, muscular and tanned, stood from the floor, his pipe hitting the table with a thud that echoed through the now silent room.  
   
"I have a score to settle with the bitch." Laxus stood toe to toe with the man, towering over him easily. Small sparks bounced between them but the man didn't react, his pupils dilated so much that Laxus could barely see any colour in them at all.  
   
"Do ya now? And what happens when our supply dries up if you make her scram? Lotta people ain't gonna be happy wif ya." The man slurred, his breath blowing the putrid sweetness over the dragon slayer.  
   
"Well you lot will just have to find something else to occupy your time with." Laxus tried to barrel past, only to meet resistance as the man stood his ground, "The hell?"  
   
"There's an amazing advantage to opium kid." The man smirked, the muscles in his arms bunching as he drew his fist back, “One of em is it makes you as strong as the best of em'!"  
   
His fist flew and Laxus grunted as he grabbed the man’s wrist, twisting out of the way of a kick from another patron. Men and women alike in the den didn't like the disruption, and wanted to get back to smoking as soon as possible. What they didn't realised was that while Laxus was strong to start with, he had slowly been exposed to the Opium smoke since he started the investigation. So the benefits they spoke of had already taken hold of him, adding to his already monstrous strength.  
   
Lightning sparked through the room, knocking out the lights and knocking people out throughout the den, "I’m not in the damn mood!"  
   
He didn't even know who he was striking as limbs flew, his body barely took a hit as he took out one person after the other, the opium and his rage fuelling him. His blood pumped through his veins, magic tingling as he decimated his opponents.  
   
It wasn't until the room fell silent that he paused, his chest heaving. His lightning lighting the room slightly. It was only then that the sound of faint clapping echoed in his ears.  
   
He growled, knowing his senses had already been dulled. Luxuria was with him.  
   
"My, my… Don't you have a temper." She clucked her tongue, heels clicking around the perimeter of the room. He refused to move, eyes following her steps like a hawk. But the more she walked, the more his mind grew hazy. His magic diminished until it fizzled under his skin, making him aware just how unsure he suddenly was.  
   
"Come on Laxus... No more cat and mouse." She whispered and he barely heard it. She approached slowly, her hands coming forwards as though to hug him, "You know you want what I can give you..."  
   
He growled, but his mouth refused to form the words he wanted to spit at her. A wicked smirk crossed her face, red lips pulled tight across pale skin.  
   
"You've been hunting me. Learning about me. At least, what you could glean anyway... And yet a little blonde bimbo outsmarted you. Tried to take your glory for the mission as her own. She wanted to feel important again." Luxuria finally stepped over to him, her painted nails digging into his chest slightly. He couldn't even flinch when she pressed harder in his flesh harder through his shirt, "I'm not all that bad you see. I don't know why the council even want me. I'm just trying to take away the peoples’ pain."  
   
In his mind, he pressed against the cage she had set up. A very distant part of him realised he was acting like when he tried to take over the guild. But he ignored it all, baring his teeth at her.  
   
"You made me fail. You hurt my team. That's enough reason for me to hand you over to the Rune Knights." His growl was guttural and savage, glaring at her with all the anger he had in him.  
   
The more he looked at her smug expression, the more his head swam and Luxuria laughed, the sound loud and rattled him to his core, "You're hilarious! You can't even fight against my hold! How will you hand me over?"  
   
She turned her back to him and danced away towards a door at the back of the den. She leapt over her unconscious patrons, barely even glancing at them aside from making sure she didn't trip on them. Laxus wasn't so lucky. His mind swam and his feet carried him after her as though he were drunk. Every muscle felt like jelly and he was surprised that he could even walk at all.  
   
He tripped over everyone in his path, cracking tables and benches as he held them for support. His strength was unmeasured in his delirious state, his mind assaulted by her voice at every turn, "I know all about you pet... Your greed. Your wants. Your greatest desire..."  
   
He followed her into the other room, staggering away from the doorway. As long as he could see her, he would be ok. Or so he thought.  
   
The door slammed shut behind him and he turned, swaying on his feet. Luxuria was a blur of red lips, pale hair and blue eyes. Everything swam almost as much as his thoughts did. His depth perception was completely off too, the knowledge of it coming to the forefront of his mind when the witch pressed herself against him, her ample front pressed flush against him.  
   
"Come on Laxus," She whispered, lips twisted into a wicked grin, "You know you want it. I can give it to you. That's why you're after me. Not because of a mission, but your desire. I have given people countless gifts, you know I can give you a gift too." Her hand trailed down his neck, her sharp nails leaving a thin trail of blood in its wake, "I know all there is to know about you."  
   
"That's. Not. Fair." The words struggled to form, fighting against her hold draining him incredibly.  
   
"Oh sweetie. Nothing in life is fair." She laughed, spinning away from him. Colours and sounds blurred together, the strands of his mental strength snapping, one after the other. She stretched her arms out to him, beckoning him closer. His legs carried him closer as she sat down on the far side of the room, "You know you want what I can give you. You can get what you've wanted for so long now. Get what you couldn't when those horrible guild mates ruined your Thunder Palace. I can help you get it. I can _give_ it to you. That power. That strength that you want so desperately. I can make you better.  
   
Her hand clawed through his clothing and shredded his shirt. She gingerly rested a hand his chest, feeling his heart beat. He groaned, his conscious locked in a box and his raw desire taking control, "Power?" A growl reverberated through his chest and Luxuria moaned, pressing her lips to his abdomen, lipstick staining his skin.  
   
"Oh yes, I can give you that. _And so, so much more."_ Their eyes locked and Laxus felt his internal war slowing, his morals losing strength till he could no longer think about retaliation. The darkest part of him reared its ugly head, hungry for what she promised. His magic was haywire, his heart and mind conflicted. Lust making his blood pump through her veins, carrying her words with it.  
   
The static was palpable, and Luxuria laughed as small sparks jumped from the blondes' skin, "That's it. That's what you want, isn't it?"  
   
She smiled into his stomach, the lights around the room flickering, the candle flames shifting from a warm amber to a sickly green. The larcima globs in the ceiling popping from his magic, dousing everything into shadows except where the green fire light touched.  
   
"You know what you have to do, don't you?" She licked her lips, tongue dancing across his abs, "You're a smart boy. I'm sure you know who's dragging you down. Who's holding you back. She's just dead weight anyway. Nothing more, nothing less."  
   
The clatter that came from the other room went unheard by the dragon slayer, all his senses focused on the witch before him.  
   
"Strength... and power..." Her words bounced around his head, tearing through his brain like knives, severing any objections he had in regards to her promise. His human side shrivelled, and his dragon purred instead, begging to take control.  
   
"It's what you want my dragon. Don't deny it." Luxuria paused, sitting back on her seat, one hand resting low on his hip while the other pointed to the door, "I can give it to you. Everything you ever wished for." She licked her lips, purring as she looked at him through hooded eyes, "But first, you have to deal with her."  
   
The venom in her voice was a stinging leash on his soul as the door behind them burst apart, bits of splintered wood harmlessly bouncing off his back. He turned, his chest rumbling with the force of his growl. His inner dragon not appreciating the interruption at all.  
   
"Your weakest link has just done you a favour pet. She has handed herself to you on a silver platter. Now, fulfil your wish. Do what you must." Her nails pierced the tender flesh on his hip, her hand pushing him away so he could turn and face the intruder, "Just one attack. One hit is all it will take." The woman pressed herself into her back, her arms wrapped around his middle for a split second before she removed herself, his magic sparking into existence around him.  
   
"Laxus!" The call was answered with a feral growl. His eyes couldn't make out who the person was, but his mind knew and it was like someone had set off an explosion in his head. Warning bells were ringing as his magic output increased, the yellow electricity illuminating the room.  
   
"Run..." The words were ground out, like there was a vice around his throat. Lightning soared from him, slamming into the ground where the intruder stood. And it was only when the light dissipated that he noticed she hadn't been struck, and something inside him relaxed.  
   
"No, no, no. We can't have that." Luxuria frowned, taking in the outfit the blonde intruder wore. Genie pants in the softest shade of pink, a bikini of gold and a veil of yellow protected the woman, a faint shimmer of magic cocooning her, making her immune to the opium and Luxuria, "We can't have that at all."  
   
The witch focused on the enslaved dragon slayer and he lunged, his arms outstretched. But the blonde man was too slow, and with his enhanced dragon skill squashed under Luxurias' spell he just couldn't keep up. Lucy ducked and dodged, weaving around him as she focused on his own attacker. Her movements effectively placed her between Luxuria and Laxus.  
   
"Laxus... You need to fight this. Fight her. I don't... I won't hurt you. I said I would help you, and I will. I don't break my promises. But you need to help yourself first." Lucy pleaded, her hand flying into the pouch on her hip, taking a quick look around the room. There was nothing to protect herself with and she had to think quickly. She spun to face Luxuria and glared.  
   
"L-Lucy." Laxus growled, sounding almost inhuman, his words so guttural that it chilled the blonde woman to her bones.  
   
"Open! Gate of the Golden Bull! Taurus!" The sound of a bell echoed through the room and Taurus appeared, his face fierce as he squared off with Laxus, his back pressed to his masters, "I'm ready Lucy." All signs of flirtation forgotten in the face of a strong opponent.  
   
"Don't hurt him Taurus. Just use your axe as a lightning rod. Draw his attacks away." Lucy only received a nod from over his shoulder before he was off, engaging Laxus so that she could focus on the other woman in the room, "And I'll deal with you."  
   
Lucy dug into her pocket again and pulled out her whip, the magic length spooling at her feet quickly, flexing her wrist so it snapped taunt. She tried to pay the lightning bouncing around the room no mind.  
   
"Kinky. I'll put that whip to good use once I've dealt with you." Luxuria laughed, sending a wink at the blonde. Lucy shivered in response, her eyes wide in horror.  
   
"Cut the crap. Now let Laxus go!" She cracked the whip again, this time, striking the ground by Luxuria's feet.  
   
"Hmm. I don't want to." The woman burst into giggles, arms wrapped tight around her middle, "What do you truly think you'll achieve here aside from an early grave? Your precious Laxus couldn't take me on. And I, though _I loath_ to admit it, am the weakest of my siblings. You don't stand a chance sweetheart."  
   
Luxuria took a step forward, eyes glowing an eerie shade of blue. Lucy twisted her wrist, striking the ground between her and her opponent. It only seemed to aggravate the youngest Infernos sibling. Luxuria moved faster than Lucy’s eyes could follow, her arms wrapping around the end of the whip before yanking, jerking Lucy forward and into her chest.  
   
The witch held Lucy to her, hands gentle massaging her bare lower back, "Now... no need for violence. We can have fun you know... You and I... and him, if you want." Her words were heavy, the magic trying to worm its way into Lucy’s mind. The blonde tried to focus, shaking off the spell easily. It was only when Taurus cried out that a wave of magic washed over her. The large bull spirit slammed into the two women, sending them sprawling across the pillows around Luxurias' throne.  
   
"You imbecile! Stop playing around!" Luxuria sprung to her feet, rage making her eyes glow. She turned to Lucy just as the blonde stood up, shaking off the effects of the spell, "Yes. No more games. I don't need another toy anyway. Let's be done with her."  
   
Lucy flinched, angling herself to keep Luxuria and Laxus in her line of sight. Just looking at the blank stare on Laxus' face made her blood freeze. With a silent command, she sent Taurus away, a plan forming quickly as Laxus charge up. But despite the blank look on her partner’s face, she could see his limbs shaking, sweat dripping from him in rivets. The lightninging was building by the second, but so was her plan.  
   
A thunderclap sounded through the room, so loud it left the women’s ears ringing. Lucy lunged for the witch, colliding with her torso with enough for to stagger her. Arms locked tight and legs wrapped around the woman’s legs, Lucy held on, wincing when a hand twisted in her hair.  
   
"Get off me! Off!" No matter what Luxuria did, she couldn't dislodge the blonde.  
   
Lucy met Laxus' stare, giving him a small smile when she saw how his face pinched, his muscles coiled tight, testament to the strain he was undertaking to hold back.  
   
"It's okay Laxus."  
   
And then all she knew was pain.


	5. Next Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arc: Envy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The next chapter! Thank you everyone that let me know they liked the previous chapter! Hope you like this one too!

Laxus stared in disbelief, his mind sluggish as the spell finally wore off. His magic still sparks along his skin, but his senses hit him full force, staggering him and sending him to his knees. The smell of scorched skin and burned hair entered his nose, making him gag. It was only the quiet moan he heard that had him back on his feet and swallowing down the bile in his throat.

Staggering, the hulking man made his way across the room, ignoring everything except the blonde against the far wall.

"Lucy." His voice was husky and he licked his lips to try again, "Lucy."

The woman hissed as she opened her eyes, squinting to see him. Her arms cradled her waist and her clothes were charred, barely hiding her most intimate areas from him, "You're... okay..." Her whisper only pulled at his heart and he knelt down, hands hovering just above her, unsure where to touch her.

"Of course I am. But you- Why did you do that? I could have killed you!" His voice was raw, his throat tightening as he took in her injuries. Surprisingly the worst seemed to be the reddened skin on her waist, but for all he knew, even if her clothing protected her, she could have had internal injuries and he would have been none the wiser.

"Virgo... Virgo said that clothes were insulated." A shuddering gasp left the blondes lips and she slumped forward, one lithe hand reaching up to grab his. 

Laxus held his breath, his hand dwarfing hers. He could feel her shaking and his eyes widened at the scar on her now exposed side. White skin snaked up her waist, lightning burned into her flesh forever immortalised, a symbol and testament to having survived his lightning. 

"Lucy..." He couldn't find the words to say he was sorry. Couldn't even hold her and make sure she was ok for fear of hurting her more. But when she turned her head, her smile made his heart stutter. It was strained, and her eyes gave away her pain, and yet she wanted him to feel better. No matter what state she was in.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." And just like that her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell forward, colliding with his chest with a dull thump. 

"Stupid woman..." Laxus huffed before readjusting her, cradling her gently to him as he stood, "Of all the dumb things you could have done..."

He scoffed, but his eyes were drawn down to her face, the pain having fled her while she rested. His heart clenched, the image of her being struck, him being unable to call off his magic, watching through his own eyes like a movie... He shivered at the memory, careful of how frail she was.

The rest of the opium den remained unconscious and Laxus swallowed heavily. His hands were numb, remembering all the hits he had landed. Disgust welled up in him but he ignored it, a more important task at hand. 

xXx The First Sin xXx 

"Lucy..." 

She moaned, barely opening her eyes to look around. But what she saw shocked her and she bolted upright, her body numb.

"Whe-where am I?" Wide brown eyes took in the stars all around her, the invisible ground she sat on bewildering and terrifying at the same time.

"Relax. You're fine here." The voice was achingly familiar and Lucy turn to face the speaker, a sharp sting burning her eyes.

"Aquarius?" The whisper barely left her mouth, afraid if she spoke to loudly than she would realise that none of what she was seeing was real.

"Yes Lucy. It's me." A gentle hand landed in her blonde hair and pulled her into an affectionate hug, "And you're so stupid..."

"How..." Lucy swallowed, feeling the tears fall down her cheeks, "How are you here?"

Aquarius sighed above her before leaning back, hands cupping Lucy face, "You're asleep. But the King let me have the time to connect with you this way. Being asleep is the closest you can be the the Spirit Realm without actually crossing through a gate. And he said you needed it... Loke... He said you'd been stupid and Taurus was angry when he came back. I can only assume you had something to do with that." The amused look in the water spirits eyes made Lucy laugh, the hole in her chest closing a little bit.

"Ah... well. I'm on a mission right now. I guess. And I sent Taurus away because I knew he would stop me from doing what I did." A faint blush coated Lucy's cheeks and she looked away, unable to take the accusing gaze the mermaid pinned her with.

"And what, exactly, did you do?" Aquarius huffed, turning Lucy to face her again.

"I um, Iusedmyselfasalightningrod!" The jumbled words still made sense to Aquarius and the spirit bulked at her previous master, disbelief and horror making the colour drain from her face.

"You did what!" She quickly pulled the blonde up from the ground, hands flying to make sure she wasn't injured in any life-threatening way.

"I'm ok! I'm fine." Lucy batted the fluttering hands away, "I think Laxus managed to pull back some of his magic. I think he's taking care of me now… my body, at least."

She placed a hand to her heart, feeling it beat under her palm.

"Tch. Yeah, well you gotta be more careful." Aquarius glared at the blonde before making sure she was really alright, "Now listen here."

Lucy snapped to attention, eyes alert as she drank in the sight of her oldest friend and spirit.

"I'm not allowed to say too much. But the Spirit King is worried. About you... About what's happening on Earthland. Leo brought something back that Crux is looking into. So stay sharp out there. And be ready for anything." 

Lucy cried out as something pushed on her, mind reeling as darkness consumed her.

She jolted awake with a start, half upright when her side flared with pain. She could barely groan as she tried to catch her breath, her lungs contracting. Sweat covered her, a large shirt clung to her pale skin as she tried to take everything in.

"Woah. Calm down blondie!" The familiar voice sent a wave of comfort through her and Lucy squinted through the light of the room to see Laxus next to her, his hair messy and his eyes hollow. He looked as though he hadn't eaten or slept in days.

"Laxus..." She croaked, her mouth dry.

"Here. Drink this." Gently, he placed a straw in her mouth and held up a glass for her to drink from. Slowly, she took in small mouthfuls of the liquid, surprised by the sweetness that greeted her.

"Thank you." Lucy sat back when she had her fill, the pain subsiding from her body, "What was that?"

Laxus looked away, ruffling her hair, "I took you to a healer. They said there was no permanent damage so they made medicine that you could drink. Your clothes did a lot to save your ass." 

"Guess I should thank Virgo for that then." Lucy smiled, ignoring the way he glared at her. He sat down on the bed heavily, his eyes conveying his worry and agitation for her. 

"And just what the hell were you thinking back there?" His voice rose drastically, his arms caging her on either side, her back flush against the headboard, "I could have killed you!"

Lucy huffed, crossing her arms and trying not to shiver as their breath mingled, "But you didn't kill me. I'm still here."

Laxus growled, leaning forward till their noses touched, "That isn't the point."

"Of course it is." She rolled her eyes, ignoring the tinge of orange that appeared in his eyes.

"I won't... I can't have your death on my conscience! I won't be the reason you die!" His voice cracked, eyes glossier than ever as he looked down at her.

Lucy held her breath as he moved closer, leaning closer and closer. She closed her eyes, not daring to move an inch. She felt his arms wrap around her and felt her heart stop, his heart pounding next to her ear as he pulled her close, "Thank you... Lucy."

"What did I do?" Lucy tried to talk but his shirt muffled her voice and she wrapped her own arms around his waist, relishing in his heat.

"You helped me. You saved me. You... Just..." Laxus growled and Lucy felt him lift his head from hers, "Thank you."

Her cheeks flushed when he pressed his lips onto the crown of her head, cradling her to him. 

"I won't lose you." His words sent fire through her veins and she gasped. The feelings that suddenly raged through her were confusing but she subconsciously acknowledged his promise. 

"I'm alright Laxus. I swear. But... what happened?" Lucy finally managed to push away, wincing as her wound pulled.

"I don't know. When the spell wore off, you were there, unconscious. And Luxuria was gone." He hissed when he met her wide eyes, "I'm hoping you didn't go through all that pain for nothing."

The regret in his eyes pulled at her heart and she grabbed his hand and held it tightly, "If she survived like I did, we'll find her. If she didn't survive... the ball is in your court."

The Dragon Slayer took a deep breath, calming himself, "I was originally ordered to find out what they were up to. Considering we haven't figured that out, we look for the next Infernos sibling."

"And do you know where to start?" Lucy stared deep into his eyes, seeing his commitment shine in them.

"No. But I figured we could work it out together." His toothy grin made her heart pound and she smiled back, still holding his hand.

"Together." She whispered, ignoring the words Aquarius had spoken to her.


	6. Marked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arc: Envy

Lucy stared in the mirror, eyes wide as her fingers trailed up her side. Silvery white tendrils flowed from her hip up her waist and wrapped around to her shoulder blade. The slightly raised skin made it stand out on her flesh, but when she pressed it, it didn't hurt, but a faint charge flickered between her fingers and the scar whenever she did it.

"Amazing." Lucy gasped when it shocked her again, a blush coating her cheeks as warmth pooled in her belly, "Just… Wow."

Water slide down her back, reminding her of the fact that she still hadn't dried off after her bath. As quickly as she could, she threw on a singlet and a pair of shorts before exiting the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a towel. But when she entered the bedroom, her partner was nowhere to be seen, the only sign that he was actually rooming with her was his jacket over the back of the dining chair.

"Where could he have gone to?" Her questioned was answered when a boomed echoed in through the open window, a sudden gale rushing into the room and blowing the towel from her head, reminding her that they were quickly approaching the winter season. 

The flash of lightning forced her to into action and she closed the window with a slam, the cold rain hammering against her skin like needles, "Cold! Cold!" 

Lucy shivered as she closed the curtains, the lights flickering with the force of the storm. Even though she figured it was the weather causing the power issue, she could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. Her instincts took over when another flash of lightning lit up the room, causing her wound to zap her. It was like a warning, an internal system that sent her blood racing.

"Calm down Lucy. Everything is fine. You're just overthinking it." She looked around, subconsciously wrapping a hand around her waist, brushing the lightning scar through her top.

"Being calm is so boring though." A voice whispered from behind her and she couldn't help the shriek that left her. She spun around, muscles tensed for a fight, when she met the most stunning green eyes she had ever seen. She could see the forests and fields of grass in them, as though they held a whole world within them, "That's it… Just keep looking at me."

Her body went numb, every limb like lead that had her falling, only to be collected in the arms of the man with green eyes. Her mind wanted to fly away to the world he had shown her, a place of serenity and peace, but something held her back, placing bars around her and making the fields turn dark. His voice hypnotising her completely.

"Lucy! Lucy! Open the door damn it!" The heavy pounding on the door barely drew her attention, and her mind slowly comprehended that the man holding her was an intruder and her room mate was outside the front door.

"Laxus!" She tried to yell, silently commanding her muscles to respond. But it was no use. Everything was frozen and she could barely focus enough to look away from the man, "Let me go!" Her words were but a whisper and without the actions of struggling to follow up her command, the man above her just laughed, his eyes twinkling with glee.

"Why would I do that? I wouldn't be able to let you know that I was grateful that you dealt with my horrible sister."

Lucy's eyes went wide, lips moving without sound. The pounding at the door stopped, and the wound on her side sparked, shocking the man holding her. She hit the ground just as the door blew up, showering bits of wood throughout the room. The man jumped away, a wicked smirk on his lips, eyes crinkled at the corners as he took in the newly arrived, and thoroughly soaked Dragon slayer.

"I see my clues weren't hard enough for you." The man laughed as Laxus threw a bottle at him, pieces of paper stuck in the neck of the bottle, "Now now. No need to be so cranky."

"Who the hell are you?" Lightning sparked off the blonde mans skin, searing his shirt in some places, "What do you want?"

"My name is Vana. I am the second youngest Infernos sibling... Well, actually, I guess I'm the youngest now." Vana laughed, running a hand through his hair, "And I simply came to thank your beautiful partner here for getting rid of Luxuria. She was so pretentious."

"What the hell are you on about?" Laxus growled, standing protectively over a still immobile Lucy, "Just what are you on about? Wasn't she your sister? Didn’t you care about her?"

Vana scoffed, glaring at the man, "We aren't blood related you buffoon! I am far more beautiful that she was anyway." Vana crossed his arms, resting against the window sill, "In any case, I just came to thank you. Now our plan can get back on track."

"Plan?" Lucy finally managed to speak properly, resting on her elbows while the rest of the feeling returned to her body, "What exactly are you up to?"

"Oops. Looks like I said too much." Vana smirked, winking at Lucy before he turned his back to them and vanished into thin air. The pressure in the room left and Lucy groaned, the weight that had been weighing down on her disappearing along with him.

"Lucy!" Laxus spun and dropped to one knee, his arms scooping her up gently so that she could rest against his chest, "Are you already?"

Lucy hummed when he buried a hand in her hair and nodded faintly, "I'm alright. But that was so weird..."

Laxus could only grunt in response, checking her over for injuries. But despite wanting to make sure that she was ok, his eyes kept getting drawn to the scar that showed above her top, "Lucy..."

His fingers absently brushed the raised skin and she shivered, biting her lip to stop any sound that wanted to escape.

"I'm sorry." If he wasn't holding her, Lucy was sure he would have punched himself.

"None of that mister Dragon Slayer. You're meant to be big and bad. Stop feeling guilt." Slowly, she managed to push herself upright, fighting down the blush that wanted to make itself known when she realised she already missed his touch. 

"But... you’re scarred-" He was stopped by a delicate finger across his lips, the blonde below him staring up from under her lashes.

"Scars are just another story to tell people about how I got where I am. I'm not weak. And I'm not scared about it either. The scars I've gotten, now and..." She paused, taking a deep breath before removing her hand and resting it on his chest, "And the scars I got while I was with Fairy Tail, I'm proud of them. They tell my story. All you did was add to it."

Her smile made his heart pound and he had to look away, busying himself with inspecting the thoroughly drenched curtains, "Whatever you say blondie. As long as you're okay."

Lucy just nodded and watched as he stood up to investigate the window. The rain didn't bother him, his clothes still drenched from when he arrived, "You should go have a shower Laxus. Before you get sick." She staggered up from the ground, using the dining chair to support herself. 

"I don't even remember the last time I got sick." His sentence was punctuated by a sneeze and he whirled around to point an accusing finger at her, "And that didn't mean anything!"

All she could do was giggle at his antics and wave her hand at him, dismissing his words easily, "Sure, sure tough guy. Whatever you say."

Before long, he did end up taking a shower and Lucy could do nothing more than lye on the bed, thinking about everything that had happened in the past month.

"It's so crazy..." She rubbed the broken key she wore around her neck, avoiding the sharp edges, "To think, if I hadn't found him that night..."

She shivered at the thought and turn over, dragging the blanket with her. Just as she was dozing off, the bathroom door opened and a sneeze announced her partners presence, following by a curse.

"I told you you'd get sick." She smiled sleepily, not bothering to open her eyes as the bed compressed next to her.

"Shut up blondie." She didn't expect him to say anything else and quickly feel to sleep, not even feeling the gentle kiss on the top of her head, “Sleep well.”


	7. Twisted Hearts, Fates Untold

"Damn it!" Laxus' bellow was punctuated by his sneeze, his growl drowned out only by him blowing his nose.

"I told you you'd get sick." Lucy snickered behind her book, her free hand rubbing at her scar,   
But you wouldn't listen."

The Dragon slayer just glared down at her before glancing at her lap, a glint appearing in his eye that put her on edge, "I don't know what you're planning Laxus. But don't do it." 

Lucy shifted away as best as she could, ignoring the way his husky voice raised goose bumps across her flesh, "Don't do what, Lucy. I'm not planning anything." He quickly followed his words by diving down onto her lap, his arms around her waist to keep her in place while he rubbed his face into her jeans.

"Eew. Laxus!" She screeched, pushing against his head in attempt to dislodge him, "You're going to get snot all over me!"

Laxus whimpered, making her freeze in her struggle, her book lying abandoned on the floor, "You could really push me away when I need you most? Not only am I sick, Lucy, but this stupid train makes me motion sick. If you did it for Natsu, you shouldn't have an issue helping me."

Lucy paled slightly before her cheeks coloured, her hand absently moving to brush her fingers through his hair, "Yeah, well... You're just lucky I feel guilty."

Laxus turned his head so he could look up at her, silently enjoying the pink that tinged her cheeks. Their eyes locked and he was blown away by the sincerity in them, his stomach tightening, "Why are you guilty?"

Lucy huffed before looking away, the corners of her mouth turned down as she spoke, "It's because of me that you're sick. Because of my lack of awareness, I couldn't tell that Vana was in the room. I didn't sense his magic at all." She carefully untangled his hair, pulling gently at his scalp.

"That is in no way your fault Lucy. I went out looking for him when he came to the door. I should have realised it was a ruse. I shouldn't have left you while you were still recovering." He twisted his body so that he could stare up at her, his hand gentle cupping her cheek, "I brought you into all of this. You are my responsibility."

Lucy blinked, pressing the moisture from her eyes. But before she could rub the tear away, his thumb gently wiped it away, "Sorry." Her whisper only caused more tears to fall as she hunched over, burying her face in his chest, "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying."

He could practically feel her desperation, her sadness, leak from her and he wrapped his arms around her, chuckling softly, feeling her fingers still gently pulling at his spine.

"There is absolutely nothing to apologise for Lucy." He pressed his lips against the side of her head, his mouth open to speak when the overhead speakers crackled to life.

"Attention passengers. We will arrive at Oshibana station in the next few minutes. Please collect your luggage and prepare to depart the train."

The pair separated, Lucy desperately trying to clean her face with her sleeve. But what caught them off guard was when the speaker continued to crackle. 

"What! Who are you? What -" 

A loud explosion shook the train and sent them to the ground. People throughout the carriage were screaming in fear. Despite it all, Lucy forced herself back up, conscious that the violent rocking of the train would have Luxas' stomach in knots. 

"Laxus?" She carefully felt her way across the floor, thick black smoke filtering into their compartment from under their door, "Come on Laxus. You need to get up."

She was only met with a disgruntled moan and watched as the blonde dragon slayer heaved himself up, his face an incredibly unhealthy shade of green, "Go." He tried his best to sound commanding, but it only came out as a pathetic rasp of air. But Lucy nodded, jumping to her feet and forcing the door open. 

The explosion had warped the metal frame work of the train and the door rolled open with a horrible screech that had Laxus cursing from where he sat, "I'll be right back okay?"

Lucy didn't wait for a response, barrelling through the hallway as quickly as she could, ignoring the way the smoke burned her throat and made her eyes water, her hand doing little to protect her from its affects. Multiple scenarios ran through her head as she made her way through the carriages, always briefly checking for any major casualties. The sound of crying forced her to stop however and nothing could have prepared her for the sight that awaited her when she crouched down.

xXx The First Sin xXx

"Lucy! Lucy!" Laxus roared in frustration, doing his best to push himself forward, his nausea doing little to help him in the current situation, "Stubborn woman! What was I thinking?"

He coughed, his bones vibrating with the force. His illness had taken a nasty turn before they boarded the train and only served to make his temper worse. Fatigue had wormed its way into his muscles and made him sluggish, no matter how hard he tried to tap into his magic to give him a boost… it was always just out of his reach.

"Damn this to hell!" Laxus threw himself into the next carriage, gritting his teeth as his knees hit the ground. The metal continued to groan around him, even after he had felt it stop. There was no telling who was at fault or what exactly was going on, but he was determined to find out what happened and find Lucy. And he didn’t have to look for long.

Despite the smoke and flames that would obscure a normal person’s vision, Laxus’ was sharp, the adrenaline forcing his flu away and honing all his senses. Even as the acrid smell burnt his nostrils he continued to sniff her out, the familiar scent of strawberries engrained in his memory. He wasn’t too far from the entrance of the carriage next to where they had been seated when the smell hit him like a ton of bricks. The smell of charred flesh and strawberries. The combination made his stomach turn and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to avoid becoming sick.

He squinted through the haze, his eyes watering in his struggle to locate her. And when he did, his heart crumbled. 

Lucy was crouched on the ground, her arms around her middle while her shoulders shook, seemingly taking no notice to the ruined carriage around her. But it was the source of her distress that made the state of the train disaster hit home.

Before Lucy was the corpse of a woman, impaled by shrapnel from the destroyed roof and the bundle of cloth next to her, a tiny hand poking out from with the charred blankets.

“Lucy…” Laxus slumped down next to the blonde, his arm circling her shoulders and pressing her into his chest, “Don’t look at them Lucy. You don’t need to see that.”

She tried cried out, her voice raspy as she shook her head, tears instantly soaking his shirt, “How… H-How can I not see them. They were… They were just civilians. They were i-innocent! And now-!” She choked on her breath and Laxus could only hold her tighter.

“There’s isn’t anything we could have done.” He pulled her up and away from the bodies, ignoring the moist warmth that had seemed through his pant leg and continued to drag his partner through the wreckage, looking for any path out while still looking for survivors, “You couldn’t do anything for them Lucy. You-“

“But there was! I could have been stronger. I could have called Gemini out and had them turn into Wendy. I could… I should’ve… I-“ Lucy choking again, only this time, it was because Laxus smothered her with his shirt. His chin rested on the crown of her head and he sighed, gently massaging her spine, feeling the way her body quivered against him.

“Lucy… Beating yourself up over the what ifs’ won’t help you figure out what did this to them. The only thing we can do now is find survivors and find out what happened. Okay?” A watery yes answered him and he gently pushed her away, gazing down at her to see her drying her eyes.

“I’m sorry Lax-“ She was cut short when he placed a finger on her lips and watched as he shook his head before he grabbed her hand and continued dragging her through the wreckage, keeping an eye out for dangling debris. 

“Just shut it Blondie. You did what every other person in your situation would have done. So just keep your head down and focus. Someone caused this. They can’t be too far away.” His voice grounded her and Lucy nodded, steeling her nerves behind a rage she had building inside.

“Right. Stand aside Laxus.” The slayer didn’t even question her, instead, he let go of her and moved away, giving her what he deemed a safe amount of space. He could feel the magic gathering around her, banishing the smoke from the area and replacing it with a soft golden light. An invisible gale picked up and Lucy lifted a key from her pouch, “Star Dress: Cancer!”

The glow exploded and he could only watch as she landed gently on the ground, two long blades in her hands. The qipao had the mark of cancer etched into the fabric and the long billowing sleeves shifted around her in the wind. 

“Well. It never ceases to surprise me.” Laxus smirked at the blonde Celestial mage and watched her as she ran towards the rubble of the carriage, her blades slicing through everything with ease and clearing a path. In her havoc, she cut a hole clean through the side of the train, and fresh air rushed in, cleansing the air in the cart and allowed the sunlight to filter in an illuminate everything, “Great job Lucy!”

Laxus jumped forward, using the light he had to rummage through the rubble, “Lets get the injured out of here as quickly as we can.”

Lucy appeared next to him, equipped with her Taurus Star Dress, the leather of her gloves creaking as she grabbed hold of a large piece of metal. 

“Yeah. We’ll get them out. Don’t you worry about that.”


	8. Hate Me, Break Me

They worked into the night to save as many people as they could. It had taken hours for the Rune Knights to arrive and take over the operation, and by the time the sun peaked over the horizon, Lucy and Laxus could barely move, fatigue taking hold of their muscles as day finally broke.

Lucy could feel her magic reserves running dangerously low and when she finally found a patch of grass away from the wreck to sit down she let go of her hold on her Taurus Stardress.

They were both covered in various cuts and scrapes, but they had gotten many of the passengers out. They hadn’t been able to find any mages amongst the wreckage, despite how hard Laxus had tried to find them. He had ripped through to the drivers compartment on his own, only to discover the bodies of the train crew. It had left him rattled and he barely made it back to help Lucy with the image stuck in his head.

“We need to find the mages that did this…” She mumbled, struggling to stand from her place.

_‘Lucy…’_

Her head snapped to the side, ears straining for the sound, “Laxus?” She whispered, so quietly she doubted she even spoke, but within moments the warm presence of the dragon slayer was at her back, his breath fanning across the top of her head, “Did you hear that?”

  _Come on Lucy…’_

Laxus stayed silent, staring unblinkingly into the forest before them. Shadows moved, drawing closer and then shifted away, growing longer and darker as the sun rose higher in the sky. The Rune Knights shouts became a dull roar in his ears.

_‘Don’t tell me you can’t see me…’_

“Vana…” Laxus growled, standing from his place on the ground and hauling Lucy up with him, “This is his doing.” Rage radiated from his body and Lucy could only pick up her pace to keep up with him, his hold on her arm bruising and painful.

 “Do you know where he is?” She panted as she stumbled over a rock. He paused for only a moment to correct her before taking off again, vanishing into the shadows of the forest.

  **xXx The First Sin xXx**

Laxus blinked, groaning in pain as his head lolled to the side. He had a terrible pain between his shoulder blades and it was only when his eyes adjusted to the darkness that he realised he was being held up by chains, his toes barely skimming the floor beneath him. A dull pounding filled his head and he struggled; struggled against his bindings, against the pain he felt radiate through him, and to figure out how he ended up where he was.

_“Laxus! Slow down!”_

Lucy’s voice rang through his head and he blinked, focusing on her voice.

_“Laxus! Stop!”_ He vaguely recalled the feeling of Lucy slipping through his fingers and Vana’s egotistical laugh echoing through the forest.

 " _So pitiful that you, the great and mighty Laxus, Lighting Dragon Slayer of the Thunder God Tribe, have failed again and again. And you’ve failed again.”_

 The words had been whispered in his ear and he barely recalled how the shadows had engulfed him, only the sound of Lucys’ scream following him into the darkness.

“Dammit!” Laxus struggled, the fragments of his memory telling him all he had to know, “Lucy!” He looked around the dark chamber, neck straining as he tried to look over his shoulder. Only a stone wall stood behind him and he cursed, unable to see anything in front of him, “Lucy!”

“My, my… Aren’t you the loud one in the morning.” A chuckled rang through the room, echoing off the stone and grating on the blondes’ ears.

“Fuck you.” Laxus spat, his eyes narrowing as he watched the shadows shift, thickening until the vague outline of a man stood before him.

“How vulgar. You really shouldn’t speak like that in front of a lady.” Light suddenly filled the chamber and Laxus hissed, blinking against the pain. But when his brain registered the words of the man before him he growled, watching carefully as Vana stepped aside.

Lucy sat on the ground, her eyes staring forward unblinkingly and he felt his rage double, his muscles straining. He tried to draw on his magic, begging to his body to respond to him, but he was met with a hollowness that made him feel weak. And that only made him madder.

“Relax. I’m only tasting her for now. Seeing how deep I can go before I get to the best part.” Vana brushed his fingers through Lucy’s hair, stroking her face gently before placing his hands on her shoulders, “You see, I’m an illusionary mage. But, due to my family heritage, I can take it one step further. I can enter someone’s mind, see their memories, and mould them to what I want them to see. I can take their worst fears and make someone lose themselves in their fears.” He laugh, bending down so that he could talk straight into Lucy’s ear, “And this beauty here has some lovely fears. I can taste them. My illusions become fantasy and I feed off them. I relish them. They get me going faster than any woman ever could. And Lucy here has been able to get me there faster than any other before her.”

A whimper left the blonde woman’s lips and Laxus froze.

“I am Vanagloria Infernos. The second youngest Infernos sibling. And I must thank you for giving me such a wonderful gift. Now watch as I enjoy her. Watch as I _break her._ ” Vana smirked, green eyes sparkling with sinister intent.

“You tricked me you bastard!” Laxus growled, the chains tightening on his arms as he struggled. His magic refused to do anything as he roared, only noise leaving his throat, which was already raw from all his shouting that past day. He wanted to remember what had led them to being captured, but his main focus at present was to get his target enemy from Lucy, “Now let her go!”

Lucy shivered on the ground, her eyes staring unblinkingly back at him. A single tear fell from her eye and he felt his rage bubble over the surface as Vana cheered, his hands caressing her face while Laxus watched. The disgusting man leant down and licked the tear from the Celestial mages’ cheek, moaning as he pulled away, moving around to stand in front of the blonde woman. Between her and Laxus.

“My, my! She has such delicious thoughts. Her envy, her hate… It’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted!” He pulled her prone form from the floor and cradled it to his chest, his lips pressed to the crown of her head as he spoke, “All alone… _Abandoned…_ by her guild… her family.” He hissed the words, his gaze full of glee as he looked over at Laxus, “Knowing that you left your team simply because they had your best interest at heart… it only pulled the wound open more. You watched her bleed and did nothing to help her. You still have your team, you always have.”

Vana groaned, pressing his hips into Lucy, his face flushed, “But she _knew_ … always knew you had them. Your family stayed with you. Caring and loving _and waiting_. Always ready to welcome you home. How bitter you’ve made her.”

Laxus growled, neck bulging under the strain of his struggle, “I never… I complained but-“ He locked eyes with Lucy’s vacant ones, “Lucy… Lucy! You aren’t alone. I’m with you! You aren’t alone anymore!”

Sweat drenched him, dripping from his hair down his face from his struggles, “You have me Lucy! I won’t let you be alone anymore!”

A hint of light seemed to enter the blonde’s eyes when Vana turned her head so he could whisper in her ear, just loud enough for Laxus’ fine earing to pick up, “Lies Lucy. He doesn’t even know what loneliness is! I mean, who _sacrificed’_ the most for the guild? Who _killed_ the one they saw as family for the guild? Who _murdered_ their spirit for the guild?” Lucy gasped, doubling over and only staying upright by Vana’s hold, “They didn’t even care that you were hurting! No one bothered to ask! _They left you alone…”_

Laxus bit back his worry, holding his questions for when he could get to Lucy, “No Lucy! Don’t listen to him!” A spark jumped across his fingers, the chains on his arms flickering the colour of his magic, before they disappeared altogether, letting him drop to the floor. He took a deep breath as he rose from his crouch, focusing on the illusion around him and he roared, his magic dancing through the air, his blood boiling with rage. He had time for questions later, but his inner dragon was angry, and he was only too happy to answer its call for blood.

Vana jumped away, dropping Lucy like a sack of potatoes in his rush, his face going red as his own fear mixed with his pleasure when he saw the unmasked rage on the slayers face. “Now, no need to be so angry, even though it is absolutely delicious. I can taste it from here! It’s beautiful.”

Laxus growled, stalked forward towards the illusion mage. The move only caused Vana to pull on his hair, green eyes sparkling and unseeing as he moaned, “Let me enjoy this a moment more. It’s amazing. Better than anything I’ve ever felt.”

Vanas’ words made Laxus pause for only a moment, his magic flaring around him, “Time’s up.” The lightning crackled loudly before an even louder boom echoed through the dungeon as Laxus’ his power flared, making the room impossibly bright as his attack hit. Despite lightning being his element, even he was pushed back by the force of the blow, grabbing Lucy as she too was flung backwards and shielded her from the magic.

His back slammed into the wall, head cracking against the stone. But he couldn’t help but feel relieved.


End file.
